Will and Liza Lee Center for Liver Disease and Transplant Research to accelerate liver research and treatments
Over the years, creating a center dedicated to advancing UT Southwestern’s liver disease research and care has been an ambitious dream. Now, thanks to generous donations, that vision has become a reality through the Will and Liza Lee Center for Liver Disease and Transplant Research.
The new Lee Center at UTSW will address the alarming rise in liver disease across the nation. After colon cancer, liver disease is the second-leading cause of digestive disease death and affects about 2% of U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that each year, over 50,000 people die from cirrhosis and other liver conditions in the United States.
In Texas, the rates of hepatitis, fatty liver from obesity, and alcohol-related cirrhosis are higher than most states. The state also holds one of the highest rates of liver cancer in the nation, according to Texas Department of State Health Services data.
The Lee Center will focus on advancing research into the primary causes of liver disease and developing treatments to improve patient survival. The Center also aims to enhance understanding of some of the most severe liver diseases, including hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, which disproportionally affect racial/ethnic minorities and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.
The new Center is named after William M. Lee, M.D., Professor Emeritus of Internal Medicine, and his wife, Liza Lee, M.A., a longtime Dallas educator.
Dr. Lee has dedicated 36 years at UTSW to studying liver diseases, including acute liver failure, drug-induced liver injury, and viral hepatitis. He has served as a site investigator on four unique National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored research networks, including the Acute Liver Failure Study Group (ALFSG) that he founded in 1997.
“The establishment of the Will and Liza Lee Center for Liver Disease and Transplant Research honors two individuals whose careers and contributions have had a profound impact on UT Southwestern and the broader Dallas community,” said Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern. “The Center will advance discoveries and innovative care that improve the lives of patients for generations to come.”
Donors show their support
The generous donors supporting the Will and Liza Lee Center for Liver Disease and Transplant Research are keenly aware of its potential to expand innovation, research, and patient care.
For Jennifer and Jon Mosle, their commitment is deeply personal. Many years ago, Mr. Mosle’s sister, Meredith, died at age 12 from a rare form of liver cancer. Their family’s connection to liver research grew when Mr. Mosle’s mother, Paula, served on the search committee that selected Liza Lee as Headmistress of Dallas’ The Hockaday School. In support, Paula Mosle and her late husband, Jon Mosle Jr. – along with their family – endowed a chair in Dr. Lee’s name: the Meredith Mosle Chair in Liver Disease in Honor of Dr. William M. Lee.
Years later, after learning about the new Center, Jennifer and Jon Mosle were eager to add their support “as our way to honor both Will and Liza Lee, who have contributed so much to UT Southwestern, Dallas, and beyond,” Mrs. Mosle said.
Mr. Mosle added: “We are grateful to the Lees and to the generous donors whose leadership made the new Center possible. We are pleased to show our support for Dr. Lee and for all of UT Southwestern’s high-quality, liver-related research and treatment.”
R. Todd Stravitz, M.D., is another supporter of the Center. His interest in liver transplants began while working at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), one of the largest and oldest liver transplant programs in the U.S. Dr. Stravitz initially contacted UT Southwestern in 2000 when he joined Dr. Lee’s liver study group.
He praised Dr. Lee for founding and leading the ALFSG for more than 20 years. Funded by the NIH since 1997, it is one of the longest-running research consortia focused on acute liver failure.
“Fatty liver disease currently accounts for half of our liver transplants at VCU,” Dr. Stravitz added. “As a supporter, I hope the Center conquers both rare, genetic liver diseases and the common liver diseases.”
Dr. Lee thanked the Mosles and all other donors, crediting them with furthering UT Southwestern’s progress in liver disease research and treatment.
“Many of the Center’s donors come from families struggling with liver disease or grateful patients who received lifesaving transplants,” Dr. Lee said. “Their donations are vital in kick-starting a center where faculty can gather to advance our overall knowledge of liver disease.”
For more information on the new Will and Liza Lee Center for Liver Disease and Transplant Research, contact Rosa Haut via rosa.haut@utsouthwestern.edu.
Endowed Titles
Dr. Podolsky holds the Philip O’Bryan Montgomery, Jr., M.D. Distinguished Presidential Chair in Academic Administration, and the Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science.